The Most Powerful Statements From Jeffrey Epstein's Alleged Victims

Trigger warning: This article contains references to alleged instances of sexual assault that may be upsetting for survivors.

For weeks, the case surrounding financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has dominated the U.S. media, but on August 27, 2019, it was his victims who finally had the chance to share their stories.

Epstein, a 66-year-old multimillionaire who counted powerful people like President Donald Trump and Prince Andrew as friends (although the U.K. royal has clarified that his dealings with Epstein were "infrequent"), was being held for allegedly running a sex trafficking ring of underage girls when he took his own life in jail on August 10, 2019.

Epstein had pleaded not guilty and denied the charges against him, claiming all encounters were consensual. He had previously spent 13 months in jail in 2007 after pleading guilty to state prostitution charges.

In a two-hour hearing in a New York courtroom to close the case, Judge Richard M. Berman made the unusual move of inviting Epstein's alleged victims to speak to the court, allowing 23 women to detail their alleged dealings with the late financier. The judge also asked that Epstein's prosecutors and defence lawyers be present to hear the women's stories.

"Mr. Epstein's death obviously means that a trial in which he is a defendant cannot take place," Judge Berman acknowledged, before allowing the women to give voice to their trauma in a public forum as a means for closure.

Of the alleged victims, some chose to be identified, while others withheld their names and had their statements read by lawyers.

While the hearing was held ultimately to dismiss the charges against Epstein in the wake of his death, his alleged victims' called for continued investigation into the case.

"He robbed me of my dreams, of my chance to pursue a career I adored," said Jennifer Araoz, who accused Epstein of raping her when she was 15 years old and an aspiring actress. "They let this man kill himself and kill the chance for justice for so many others."

Fellow accuser Chauntae Davies voiced her frustration with Epstein, saying: "I will not let him win in death."

"I feel very angry and sad that justice has never been served in this case," accuser Courtney Wild concurred.

Speaking of the shared similarities between the group of accusers, one unidentified victim said, "A lot of us were in very vulnerable situations and in extreme poverty, circumstances where we didn't have anyone on our side."

Accuser Anouska Georgiou summarised the alleged victims' experiences in her statement, reasoning: "Something I think is very important to communicate is that loss of innocence, trust, and joy that is not recoverable. The abuse, spanning several years, was devaluing beyond measure and affected my ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, both in my work and my personal life. He could not begin to fathom what he took from us."

But some of the women said despite the fact their potential chance to see justice was denied, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

"That experience for the last 17 years has been a dark corner in my story... So I'm here today because it is time to bring light to that darkness, and it's time to replace that darkness with light," said accuser Theresa J. Helm.

If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual assault, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.